Research - Free Publications

To gather more content to for the idea generation based on the two proposals made, I took advantage of the FREE zines, leaflets and newspapers that are available in the Student Union area of the College. This is where the publication would be available therefore this provides the context and content that will be displayed along side the publication. 


The City Talking:

'The City Talking' is a free newspaper based in Leeds. The A3 publication features various articles about businesses, artists and events in Leeds. As the newspaper is free and distributed around leeds, the stock is thin and represents that of a newspaper. This keeps the production cost to a minimum which is important in terms of the publication being cost efficient. There is also no intricate binding methods, the pages are simply held together with a fold. Although it is clear the production cost is minimal through the choice of stock, it is evident there is a clear focus on the design. Just because the newspaper is free they have not taken on this same attitude with the design. The design is also clearly taken into consideration when addressing the target audience, students and young professionals in Leeds.This is reflected through the fresh modern appearance of the publication, with simple elements of colour which draw in the audience's attention. This is especially effective on the front cover of the publication. 

The Skinny:

The Skinny is an 'Independent Cultural Journalism' magazine who's team of writers, photographers, illustrators and artists provide coverage on topics that are relevant for worldwide audiences, while retaining their 'independent and open minded nature.' The magazine is distributed around the north east and Scotland and contains articles and information pages on upcoming events, artists and general whats going on in local cities. The main audience for the handbook is students and young adults interested in cultural journalism and finding out about local events. This audience is attracted by the use of a colourful, minimalist illustration on the front cover and throughout the handbook. As well as having specific articles, at the rear of the book there are pages containing a map of a city and places that are of interest to visit. This can be seen above. The descriptions go into detail about the atmosphere/food/beverages. The small paragraphs of text are highly informative however the overall appearance of the page seems overwhelming by the mass amount of text that is presented. 

The Independent: 

The Independent Leeds is 'a one stop city resource to help you discover all things local'. The publication celebrates those independent scenes in Leeds as well as showcasing artists work and their stories. Having such a wide topic area based in one location means that there is a wider audience to consider and appeal to. This is reflected through the minimalist, clean design as well as the bright illustration on the front cover. The design is successful in attracting the audience as the quirky independance of the content is reflected through the illustrative design on the front cover page. The purpose of this publication relates to Idea 5 as it has a similar purpose, audience and direction.